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why do some people get mosquito bites

DEET, though the most well-known, isnБt the only chemical used in mosquito repellents. In 2005, the CDC began recommending alternatives to DEET for repelling mosquitoes. Picaridin, fairly new to the U. S. , has been used worldwide since 1998. Marketed as Cutter Advanced, picaridin has proven to be as effective as DEET but is said to be more pleasant to use because it is odorless and contains a light, clean feel. Picaridin is safe for children older than 2 months. The chemical IR3535, better known as Avon's Skin-So-Soft, also has been marketed as a mosquito repellent in the U. S. in recent years. To date, research shows it's much less effective than DEET. Then thereБs metofluthrin. This new chemical, approved by the EPA in 2006 as a mosquito repellent, Бis selling like hotcakes,Б Conlon tells WebMD. Sold as DeckMate Mosquito Repellent, itБs available in two forms. As a paper strip, you place it in outdoor areas like patios and decks. You can also wear it. As a personal repellent product, it comes in a small container with a replaceable cartridge.

Clipped onto a belt or clothing, it relies on a battery-powered fan to release the mosquito repellent into the area, surrounding and protecting the wearer. It is not applied to the skin. If you want to avoid chemical-based repellents altogether, a few promising alternatives do exist. "Of the products we tested, the soybean oil-based repellent was able to protect from mosquito bites for about 1. 5 hours," Fradin reports. He and fellow researchers found other oils -- citronella, cedar, peppermint, lemongrass, and geranium -- provide short-lived protection at best. Oil of eucalyptus products, however, may offer longer-lasting protection, preliminary studies show. Endorsed by the CDC, oil of lemon eucalyptus is available under the Repel brand name and offers protection similar to low concentrations of DEET. Lemon eucalyptus is safe for children older than 3 years. In the last few years, nonchemical repellents worn as skin patches and containing thiamine (vitamin B1) have arrived in some big-box stores under the name DonБt Bite Me!

The science behind this repellent comes from a study done in the 1960s. It showed that thiamine (B1) produces a skin odor female mosquitoes don't like. But no other studies have confirmed thiamine's effectiveness as a mosquito repellent when worn on the skin. Chari Kauffmann, president of the company that sells skin patch called DonБt Bite Me! , says studies on the product are ongoing, though the company has no conclusions to report.First, a little entomology fact: Only female mosquitoes bite, when theyБre looking for the protein (from blood) necessary to lay eggs. The rest of the time, mosquitoes feed off of sugar from plants, says Paul Breslin, PhD, a professor of nutritional sciences at Rutgers University and a researcher at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia. БSo, while they love sugar, that doesnБt mean mosquitoes are attracted to people who have БsweetБ blood.

Rather, they let their senses guide them; and, some people areб б than others,Б says Breslin. БItБs similar to if you were to walk into a kitchen after someone bakes an apple pieБyouБd be drawn to the smell. Б Your aroma comes from a variety of places, like your breath (this isnБt halitosis, or bad breath, thoughБdifferent aspects of metabolism, such as blood-sugar levels, can affect the scent profile of your exhale) and/or the bacteria on your skin, which differs for everyone. Even yourб б may affect your odor. б Unfortunately, your own unique smell stamp isnБt something you can really change. Trying to mask your odor with perfumes or body lotions doesnБt generally helpБfloral scents tend to draw the pesky bugs in even moreБbut these is one surprising exception:б б VictoriaБs Secret fragrance. Dousing yourself in it may repel mosquitoes effectively for up to two hours, according to a 2016 study in theб Journal of Insect Science.